Checkmate
by Fullmetal-Alchemist-Resolution
Summary: I want to give you the offer of taking my granddaughter's hand in marriage once again... One-shot. Royai.


Fullmetal Alchemist Resolution

**We hope you enjoy this! Just a little *cough*long*cough* story about how Roy and Riza managed to pass the fraternization policy in our headcanon thanks to help of Grumman. Enjoy!  
**

**_Disclaimer: We do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it's characters. All belongs to Hiromu Arakawa._ **

* * *

"_I hate you!"  
_

* * *

A faint knock hung within the room. Grumman blinked slowly, eyelids heavy as he leaned forward from his chair, letting out a weary sigh.

"Come in."

The door slid open, and Grumman glanced up, rubbing his face. "Ah, Brigadier General Mustang. What a pleasant surprise."

Roy stepped in and saluted, offering a smile. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, no. What brings you here?"

"I was wondering if I could interest you in a game," he spoke, raising the chest board he held up to his chest. "It's been a while since we last played."

Grumman laughed dryly, crossing his arms. "You know I'm always up for beating you, general."

Roy sat down, placing the board upon the table. "I don't know if that'll be the case today, sir. Might I remind you that I've beaten you once before," he spoke with a grin, glancing at him. "The last time we played, to be exact."

"One win out of 97 losses is nothing to gloat about, general," Grumman remarked, adjusting his glasses.

"Now, now," Roy retorted, closing his eyes. "Who knows? I might be getting on a winning streak here."

"Or perhaps it was just dumb luck."

Roy laughed, setting up the board. "There's nothing dumb about it, sir; chess is a game of logic."

"Well, I suppose we'll just see about that."

Roy smiled, gently placing each black piece on the checkered board. He carefully centered the queen and let his hand linger, wondering absentmindedly if Riza was getting enough rest; if she was alright.

"How's your team?" Grumman asked suddenly, studying Roy's expression. Roy blinked a few times, noticing Grumman's pawn had already moved. He quickly made his move, as if for a moment he had forgotten where he was.

"I've had Breda and Furey focus most of their time helping with the damages on the city when they're not helping me in the office. I believe they plan to move out east after I leave for Ishval; they want to support Havoc in his rehabilitation process. As for Falman, he's remaining up north with Olivier…" He sighed. "It's useful for me to have a connection up there." He glanced at his queen, smiling faintly. "…And Hawkeye is on leave, recovering from her injury. When she comes back she'll be aiding me more actively with the preparations for the Ishval Restoration."

"Sounds like you'll be kept busy," Grumman noted, moving his pawn forward. "It'll be quite the challenge to begin your movement for Ishval."

"Yes, sir. The paperwork is a hassle, especially without my aide. But I know that once she returns, we'll be moving a little more smoothly." He stayed quiet for a moment. "It's going to be a rough road, though..."

"The price to pay…" Another piece slid across the surface.

Roy took his pawn, placing it on the side. "Yes, sir…"

"These things are always justified."

A heavy mood misted throughout the air; the light clicking of the pieces against the board almost could have echoed. Roy tensed without thinking, not taking his eyes off the game.

Grumman looked at the board firmly. "We all must be able to live with the weight of our mistakes."

Suddenly Roy felt himself standing still in the heat, his face clotted in dirtied sweat. The sand around him soaked with blood, smoke floating in the air. He closed his eyes, dizzy.

"That's most certainly the truth."

Grumman's smile was small. "To get to where I am, sacrifices are always necessary."

Roy hesitated. He had never considered the pain Grumman's lived through; the burdens he held. "… And what kinds of sacrifices have you made, sir?"

Silence filled the space between them. Grumman kept still, his breathing even, as if his mind were a mess of loose, tangled threads. Roy watched him and frowned.

"It's a long, weary story…" Grumman spoke after a while. He stayed in silence for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin. "… There was a time when I once had a family."

Roy looked at him from the corner of his eye before moving his bishop. "Ah, yes… I remember you once saying you had a granddaughter, unless I'm mistaken."

"I do," he spoke, his tone becoming softer. "But she doesn't know we're related."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"

"I used to be a different man." Grumman claimed Roy's pawn. "I don't think there was an admirable thing about me."

"I don't believe that, sir." A small smile shaped. "You're one of the most admirable people I know."

Grumman returned the smile. "No need for flattery, general." His smile faded as he leaned forward, picking into the depths of his past; a small ache throbbed in his heart. "At one point in time my life was very different. It's a shame, really," he sighed. "I was lucky enough to marry the love of my life… a childhood friend of mine, actually." He took a pause, as if remembering something. "But the marriage was… pushed, by our families. It hadn't felt like our own decision."

"That must have been hard on you…"

"It certainly took its toll… Things were never the same between us."

Roy watched the board, listening, a little taken back at how unusually open Grumman was being, yet finding himself strangely not too surprised by it.

"Having a child proved to be a challenge… my wife had a fertility problem, but she managed to get pregnant. I was hoping for a boy." He closed his eyes, smiling. "I wanted to be able to have a child who could follow in my footsteps, one that could carry on my name… but it had been a girl." He straightened himself. "We tried to have another child, but… having one alone was difficult. Conceiving a second child was impossible. A crack had formed within our family."

Roy found himself surprised, thinking it out of character of Grumman. "All because the baby was a girl…?"

"A catalyst." He tapped thoughtfully at the edge of the table. "Our relationship was building up, and it was more just… the breaking point. Bad timing, if you will."

Roy nodded silently, keeping pace with the game.

"Our daughter was… a good girl." He went quiet. "… Though, I didn't always see her that way. I raised her strictly... She had to be proper; perfect. Nothing less was acceptable. But even still, nothing she did was ever good enough for me." Grumman placed one of Roy's pawns carefully on the side of the board. "I remember she had started taking interest in learning alchemy in her early teenage years. But I forbade it." He rubbed his chin. "… I had never asked why she even wanted to know it." He closed his eyes. "I was a different man; greedy and power hungry. Getting promoted was about the only thing I cared about. My family suffered from it."

A soft light seeped in from the large window, casting shadows within the creases of Grumman's face. It had been a long, long road… speaking now, he could see his words painted around the room. The silhouette before him was of a distant stranger; he was a new man now, a better man.

"I remember, when my daughter was bit older, rumors began accumulating of a prodigy alchemist living in Central. The military wanted him; they saw him of great value. But they were having trouble recruiting him. I took advantage of the opportunity."

"Is that so?" Roy could remember the fire flickering in the golden eyes of a broken boy. With a goal to reach, he seized the chance to make his name look just a little bit better. He glanced at the pieces gathering dust on the side. He and Grumman weren't always so unalike.

"Yes." Grumman laughed. "Upon meeting him I discovered everything I had heard was true. He left no room for negotiation, rejecting me flat. However, I was persistent…. I kept coming back. I wanted him. But it always ended with the door slamming in my face. He was stubborn, and I was frustrated, that's for sure."

"It's not uncommon, I suppose…" State Alchemists were the military's dogs; a human weapon to obey orders without understanding or reason.

"Ah, yes. He wanted nothing to do with the military. Even broke and living on a thread he wouldn't hear of it. He was convinced the military was corrupt." Grumman smiled, almost seeming in good humor. "I suppose he was correct in the end."

A few soldiers outside caught Roy's eye, half in uniform, heaving a cement block. The Promised Day still scarred the city, half the headquarters in ruin. He gently rubbed his eye, as if to check his sight. He knew first hand that corruption, muttering, "Yes, sir…"

Grumman noted Roy's gesture, giving him a moment before moving on. "My daughter heard of him during a dinner I had been hosting with some higher ranking officers. After that she sought him out behind my back as an alchemy teacher. They began holding private lessons together… to this day I'm not sure how they managed it, where they would meet and such. And all the while she was paying him with _my_ money. She lied to me; said it was for a tutor for school." He sighed. "Looking back on it, I can't help but feel foolish. She had been obvious, but I had been blind. And in the end he had gotten a grant from the military after all."

"She gets her wit from her father." Roy laughed lightly. "And he cheated you... Smart man."

Grumman snorted. "Brilliant man, in fact," he chuckled under his breath. "This went on for a while, him teaching her. Through all of this the two grew… rather close, if you will."

Roy carefully moved a piece in front of his queen, a familiar string pulling at his heart. He had an idea as to where the story was heading; a love that had to remain hidden… it wasn't something unknown to him.

"I don't know the details, but somehow they ended up engaging in a romantic relationship."

"A romantic relationship, sir?" Roy had a distant look in his eyes, unsurprised. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Grumman.

"That's right, general." He glanced at Roy, who looked away. "I had started getting suspicious the longer my daughter would stay out, so I had her followed in order to know her whereabouts." He felt a bit shameful; it hadn't been something he should have done. He averted his gaze. "To say I had been angry is an understatement. He was almost 10 years older than her, barely getting by, spited the military and had disrespected _me, _and even robbed me of my money. And _she_ had gone against my strict orders, creating a bad image for me by being with the likes of him." He sighed. "Our confrontation was anything but pleasant… I was furious, and she was upset as well. She didn't want me controlling her life, but I pressed on how she was forbidden from seeing him. After that, our relationship quickly began to deteriorate…" A thought fluttered through his mind, a wonder of what his life could have been. It quickly passed.

Being told you couldn't be with the person you loved struck a nerve in Roy. Riza was his other half, an extension of himself; needing her was like breathing. He glanced at the queen. He understood. "…She didn't stop seeing him. Did she, sir?"

"... No. She didn't. For a long time, in fact, they would continue meeting in secret. I had no idea." A moment of silence filled. "When I found out about it again it was because she came to me… pregnant."

Roy's finger twitched, watching Grumman grasp his defeated pawn.

"She had come to me, pleading for my help and support. They didn't have the means to take care of a child. I had never seen her so distraught before…" He glanced away. "But I was furious; beyond that, even. There aren't words to describe how I felt in that single moment. She had disobeyed me not once, but twice… and now this. An illegitimate child was anything but acceptable, especially from _him_. I told her to get rid of it." His bishop fell to Roy. "… She refused. Abandoning her child wasn't an option for her. We got into a fight…" His eyes dulled. "I said… awful things to her. That I hated her, that I didn't care what happened to her or to her baby; that they could end up dead for all I cared." He felt a hurt inside of him, the look on her face stained before his eyes. His hand trembled, but barley.

The man Roy was hearing of wasn't Grumman. He found it difficult to piece together the mess of images before him, and found it easier to imagine an unknown face, an unknown name. A different man.

"I can't see you saying something like that. It doesn't sound like you at all, sir."

"It's because those were the words of a man who I no longer am." Grumman coughed, clearing his throat. "It was the angriest I had been in my entire life… She told me she hated me. And then she turned and slammed the door behind her." He folded his hands. "… I never saw her again."

The murderer standing in the sand felt like a past life to Roy, a shadow of who he was yet still a part of who he is today. Roy looked at Grumman, a man who cast a shadow unseen. Even men consumed by darkness, taken by weakness, could find their light. Anyone could find their path if they looked hard enough. "I'm sorry, sir," Roy muttered.

Grumman held up a hand. "There's no need to apologize, general. It was justified."

"…Of course, sir."

"My wife left me soon after. She was disgusted with me… but I think she was with herself as well. She never did anything to stop what had happened. She just stood there, always quiet. Not once did she defend our daughter or try and help her. My wife knew her place; but it didn't mean it was a place she had wanted to be in." Grumman unfolded his hands. "Once she left I had hit bottom, everything broken. I began frequenting the bar. I then met the Madame."

Roy's hand faltered as it reached for his rook. The Madame rarely talked about anything in her past, and Roy soon learned to stop questioning it.

"Without her I don't know if I would have recovered as well as I did, or even at all… She believed anyone could have a second chance, even someone like me. She told me that it would only be a waste to have lost my family and not even achieve what they had been sacrificed for." He laughed a little, rasp. "I couldn't help but know that she was right."

Madame Christmas was a gruff woman with a rough shell; her past was unspoken of and kept locked away. Her words were sarcastic and sharp, yet warmth was hidden beneath them. Roy closed his eyes, smiling. "Maybe she doesn't like to say it, but the Madame really looks out for people. She can't help but take care of someone who needs her most. It's in her nature."

Grumman advanced his knight. "You're right about that. I'm sure I can speak for us both when I say we're grateful she came in our lives when she did." Roy blinked a few times before closing his eyes.

* * *

_Peeking into the doorway, a young Roy shyly watched Madame Christmas behind the counter. She coaxed him out, and he came over, hesitant. He pulled himself on the barstool, unsure, and she handed him a worn out cloth. She showed him how to clean the counter; Roy felt a little less sad. _

* * *

Roy's eyes fluttered open, the flash before him quickly gone. "Most certainly..."

"A few years later, she was telling me about the passing of her brother. Hearing she had taken you in had been a surprise. It was all very sudden," he spoke. "She would tell me a lot about you. I could tell the two of you were close." Roy's pawn clicked as it was placed on the side. "Years later, she told me you were expressing an avid interest in alchemy. She was wondering if I had known any alchemists to teach you, with my involvement in the military and all. It was like everything came rushing back." He closed his eyes, seeing the image of the man who looked at him with cold eyes; the man who took his daughter away. "I knew just the person to recommend. And I knew that with the connections the Madame had, you would be able to find him…"

Roy paused, looking at Grumman. A rush hit him, his thoughts broken.

"_Don't you have any other family or relatives?"_

"_My mother died a long time ago. Both of my parents were estranged from their families… They never told me anything about my relatives…"_

Roy couldn't help but find himself staring, wide eyed and in shock; a small choking noise escaped from his throat. _He couldn't believe it_.

"It was a selfish reason on my part," Grumman continued. "I was less interested in him, and… more so in my daughter. I wanted to know if she was alright. I just had to have the assurance, the piece of mind, that she was happy."

Roy's eyes slowly widened, his words tangled in his throat. The man in front of him was the man who brought him to Master Hawkeye, to Riza. He barely managed, "I had no idea, sir…"

Grumman allowed Roy's thoughts to sink in. "... Once you had found him, the Madame told me that my daughter had died many years ago of pneumonia. Only he and his daughter lived there now." Grumman looked at the board, blinking, not sure of his next move. "I didn't know what to think about it. If it had been different, she may not have died. If she had stayed, perhaps she wouldn't have caught the sickness; and if she did, I could have easily afforded the best care around. It began to consume me over the years. I was angry at the world, her circumstances… but mostly with myself. What I had done to her, _my own daughter_,is something unforgivable." His fingers curled slowly into a fist.

Roy looked at him. A small frown curved, and he kept the game forward.

"Years later, I thought I had finally gone senile." He smiled bitterly. "Walking down the halls of Eastern Headquarters, I thought I had seen the image of my daughter. I did a double take, but… the woman was real. I knew without thought who she was. I asked for her name, and she responded with "Riza Hawkeye". I simply told her that she had beautiful eyes and left." She had _her_ eyes.

Roy looked down at the queen on the board. Taking in everything that lay drifting in the air, he saw Riza. She had no idea… a piece of herself, hidden, was unknown to her.

"I tried to avoid her after that… Seeing her pained me." Silence took him over briefly. "You might think this cold of me to say, but... I thought of it as punishment for what I had done."

"What do you mean?"

"The sight of her brought back memories I never wanted to remember." It's as if she was almost haunting him, a sharp remembrance of the child that drove his own daughter away, her death waiting for her.

Roy said nothing, understanding. A small thought lingered in his mind, picking away. "What was her name, sir? Your daughter," he asked quietly.

"Emily," Grumman said simply. Yet the single name seemed to be cracked and tired; as if it wore a thin coat of dust from not being spoken of over the years.

"Emily…" Roy whispered under his breath, letting the sound of it roll of his tongue. _A beautiful name_.

There was a long pause. "After all this time, I've finally gotten to the place I always wanted to be."

"Was it worth it...?" Roy asked. _To hold such regret…_

Grumman stared at nothing in particular, a glazed look in his eyes. The blur of his wife and daughter stood still at a distance before they were gone. "… Yes."

Roy leaned back a bit in his chair. "And why's that?"

"I will always regret my actions, and I will never be able to fully atone for the loss of my own family. But without that sacrifice, I wouldn't have had what it took to make it to the top. I don't think I would have been able to realize my wrongs and be able to change myself." Grumman looked at him. "And I wouldn't be sitting in this chair now, able to make a difference."

Roy closed his eyes, smiling. "Life is a funny, and sometimes ironic thing, isn't it, sir?"

Grumman sighed. "That's the truth. I'm sure you're familiar with it."

Roy's gaze lowered. Ishval was something that would dwell inside him for the rest of his life; something that could never be forgiven. Blood stained his hands and he would never be able to completely rid himself of it. All the pain he's caused, even to _Riza_… yet he stood where he was today, on the path he is now, because of it. He wouldn't change a single thing."Of course..."

Grumman smiled faintly. "Even though my wife and daughter are gone, I've lived the best I can, and I've been able to find people who care about me despite everything I've done. It's an important thing I had to learn: that everyone had the right to have someone like that; that if I could earn it, I could have it too."

Roy's eyes wandered over his chess pieces. Despite what he's done, his team was under him, supporting him; being _there_ for him.

"Tell me, general... Do you have someone you care about more than anything?"

The sudden question caught him off guard, yet the mood remained unchanged. "Sir?"

Grumman's bishop came closer to Roy's queen. "Despite all you've done, is there someone who you hold close to you?" Roy stared down at the floor.

* * *

"_Will you follow me?"_

_The question was clear, straight forward, and said without the slightest hesitation. He knew that he needed her support; someone who he could trust, someone who has been through every struggle with him. All he had to have now was her approval._

_She closed her eyes, responding instantly. "Understood. If that is your wish, then even into Hell."_

_There was no turning back now._

* * *

Yes. His lieutenant, his other half… His queen. The person who would bring him back when everything around him was falling apart. They had seen everything together. There were even times when they nearly lost each other; but they always pulled through, always on the path they had to follow.

Roy pulled back his queen. "Of course there is, sir."

Grumman smiled just the slightest. "This person, would you do anything to ensure their happiness?"

Time and time again he's hurt her; misused her trust and betrayed her, even. He's been so foolish, but she's never left his side. The _least_ he could do was make her happy, even if he could never completely atone for the pain he's caused her.

"Anything at all. After all I've put them through, I owe that much..."

Grumman stood up slowly, walking over to his desk. He picked up his cup of coffee as if it were fragile, gazing into it for a moment. "Just like you're doing now, with Ishval, I too have a desire to try what I can do to atone."

Roy raised his eyebrows, puzzled. "Do you have something particular in mind?"

Grumman sipped his coffee. He knew this wasn't the best idea, and that maybe he was finally losing his mind in his old age… but he felt as if this was something he needed to do. He gently placed his mug on the table. "I did, actually. I wasn't going to give you this offer, but ever since I've been given this title, I find myself forced to sit with my own thoughts, no longer distracted by the rank I once wanted to reach. Perhaps after I have achieved something so great, I need a bit of punishment to make it even." He grinned. "As you alchemists say, equivalent exchange."

Roy laughed a little. "Sir, what are you getting at?"

Grumman turned to face him fully. "I want to give you the offer of taking my granddaughter's hand in marriage once again."

Roy's smile slowly fell as realization dawned upon him. He froze, eyes widening. Did he hear wrong? Was Grumman just pulling his leg? There's no way this couldn't be a mistake. "Sir, what are you-"

"You don't have to take it," he interrupted. "I know the cons quite well. And I accept any criticism I'll receive. I deserve it... I want it." He smiled. "But even still, I'm well aware that there are people who don't take the fraternization policy seriously; it's broken all the time." He gave a weary sigh. "It will be the only time I do something like this, only applying for the two of you.I'm sure a marriage will cause controversy at first for many reasons. Not only is it breaking policy, but it's unfair to other soldiers. The other officers won't be pleased, and I'm sure they'll chew my ear off for it… But it's the punishment I deserve. In time, like everything else, people will move on from it, having more important things to worry about. And it's not as if the two of you aren't already involved."

Roy stared, baffled. Grumman must have gone insane—how would Riza even react to something like this? It wasn't even as if he could promise she would say _yes_ to him asking for her hand in marriage. Where would Grumman even get the _idea_ that they were engaging in such behavior?

"Excuse my tone sir, but are you _mad_? The proposition you're suggesting is ludicrous and completely unprofessional! Even _suggesting_ the idea that Lieutenant Hawkeye and I are romantically involved is just-"

Grumman smiled, amused by the dumb look on Roy's face. "Come now, general. It's no secret to anyone how close you two are. I'm not the only person who thinks it." He laughed. "But if you won't admit it, I can already tell you the Madame has confirmed it for me."

Roy stared at Grumman for a moment, trying to process what he had just said. Madame Christmas? His mouth gaped open slightly, unsure about why the Madame would expose his relationship with Riza so easily, and almost wanted to walk down to the bar and scold her himself.

"I had already suspected it, but I wanted to make sure before I spoke with you. After explaining to the Madame, she told me. She trusts me enough to know I'd never endanger you." He gave a small smile. He was bitter to admit to himself that this was something he had given a little too much thought to.

Roy sighed and rubbed his head, muttering something inaudible under his breath. None of this was supposed to have been known, and he wasn't sure what to think. He felt awkward and frustrated, still skeptical of all of this. He made a note to have a talk with the Madame as well.

Grumman leaned back. Watching the steam slowly rise from his coffee, his expression dulled. "I wasn't able to give my daughter the happiness she deserved. Not once. Even when she came to me, desperate for help, I shut her out." _My own daughter_. "Once a thought occurred to me that perhaps I could give _her _daughter the one thing she had always wanted but I had never allowed. Over time the thought grew more serious as it lingered. I never permitted my daughter to be with the man she loved. When she came to me, begging, I removed her from my life. But now I could allow _her_ daughter, _my_ granddaughter, to marry a man who she otherwise couldn't be married to. I had that power."

Roy felt... flattered, actually. A part of him almost wanted to accept it; not even just for Riza and himself, but for Grumman, too. But even still… "To be honest, sir, even if I did accept your offer, I don't know that Lieutenant Hawkeye and I are very deserving of it." He looked away. "We don't have the right to live a life like that. It's the greatest happiness the world can offer… and after all that we've done… we can't have that."

Grumman stayed quiet for a moment. "You're correct in that not everyone can just be handed happiness, general. It's something you must work for." He looked at Roy. "And I think you and the Lieutenant have earned it."

Roy looked at him, not feeling as though he's earned much of anything. "But what we did was horrible." He glanced away. He could nearly feel the dry desert air against his face; the smell of decay and burned flesh sticky under his nose. The young female soldier before him wore the eyes of a killer. "We destroyed so many families, homes, lives… I just don't understand how we've earned such a thing, even if now we're on the right path…"

Grumman smiled. "Because everyone has the potential to reach that happiness..." He closed his eyes. "Everyone should have a second chance... even those who have done horrible things. That includes the both of you, General Mustang. Love and being married is a given right. While being a happiness that can exist anywhere, with anyone, it's the greatest happiness two people can experience."

Roy froze in that moment, his body tensing. He felt the pawn he had been fiddling with between his fingers fall to the floor.

Those words…. Those _words_. The past came slowly like a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.

_Those words_. Where had he heard those _damn_ words before?

He could feel his ears ringing. He could nearly envision himself sitting alone in a tent, ready to give up. His friend was beside him, talking about the woman he loved.

His eyes widened. _That's right_…

* * *

"_So you'll embrace the woman you love with those hands filthy with blood?"_

_His words were cold and distant. He didn't know how Hughes could expect to live happily after all he's done here; the people's he's killed, the families he's torn apart. What right did he have to experience that which he had brutally taken away from so many?_

_It was just then that Roy felt something snap. The air seemed to thicken around him as Hughes' expression changed into a harsh glare._

"_You have a problem with that?!" Hughes yelled, hoisting him by the collar._

_Roy stared into Hughes's eyes, unfazed by his friend's action and tone. Hughes couldn't justify his wrong doings no matter how much he cried out. Murder was never justified… but he kept on._

"_I figured it out while I was here. To own a house with the woman you love is a happiness that can exist anywhere. But it's the greatest happiness!" _

* * *

He almost couldn't help but let out a small gasp at remembering the words Hughes spoke all those years ago. His body was trembling; his head was spinning.

_How could he have forgotten?_

Marriage and family was a happiness everyone had a right to, something that anyone should be able to have if they worked for it. Hughes had earned that happiness, and it meant _everything_ to him. Even as his life was ending he cherished his family more than anything, a photograph stained in his blood lying beside his corpse. Despite what he had done in Ishval, he was still human; he was still able to experience the euphoria that love gave him. Nobody was stopping Hughes, or telling him that he couldn't experience the joy of marriage because of what he had done. _No_. The only person who could have stopped him was himself. But he didn't; he didn't believe that just because he had done awful things that it meant he couldn't be happy.

Anyone could have a second chance. Even with a dark shadow behind you, there was something warm in front of you that could be reached for. He and Riza could never fully atone for their sins; but they couldn't punish themselves forever, either. Not when they had a goal to reach, _to keep moving forward_. Maybe even people like them could have the chance to start new.

Riza understood him in a way no one else could, and he felt the same for her. After what they've been through, what they share together, maybe they had the chance to have that sort of happiness. Happiness such as marriage, something he felt had been denied from him. A doubt still scratched at the back of his mind; was this something he could have, even if it was some sort of given right?

_What would Hughes think?  
_

* * *

"_I'll do anything in order to have that happiness! I'll survive!" His grip tightened on Roy's collar. "What happened here… I'll take what I've done here alone and smile when I'm in front of her!" _

_The look in his eyes showed a side of Hughes Roy had never seen before. For a moment, Roy almost understood. The thought soon vanished as he looked away, avoiding eye contact, feeling that smallest hint of shame… but he was unable to explain why._

_He noticed the slightest tremble in Hughes' hands as he spoke, the sharp look in his eyes fading away. "I'll make her happy!" he said, his voice falling softer._

_Roy paused, but before he could even process his thoughts, he felt Hughes drop his grip on him. He sat on the ground for a moment, still trying to completely think through what just happened._

_Just then, Hughes looked down at him, a new look in his eyes. "…There's no time to talk about such trivial things. We've got work. Hurry up and get ready."_

* * *

Suddenly Roy came to; perhaps it was those last words that made him click back into reality. He leaned back in his seat, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Riza deserved this happiness. After everything she's been through, everything _he's_ put her through. He had betrayed, burned her, and he couldn't even begin to count the number of times she had put her life on the line to save him. He _had _to make her happy. Even if this was something he wasn't completely sure if he was worthy of, he had to do what he could for _her_ sake. With marriage he could give her that simple joy _every_ _day_. Holding her in his arms at night, sharing hot chocolate during a snow storm, being able to tell her that he loved her when her eyes looked weary… all the things he could do to make her days a bit better; all the things that would make _him_ happy too.

… But was it something that was truly justified?

Roy could almost hear Hughes' voice, as if he was standing beside him.

_You think marriage needs to be justified? What kind of moron are you? Are you seriously considering turning down the opportunity to make the woman you've hurt, the woman you love, happy? All because of something like this? Even though you're already doing everything in your power to atone? Well, let me tell you something Roy: it's time to stop punishing yourself. You can't move forward by holding onto the past. Move forward. Be happy. Have the same happiness I had; the happiness that I could only share with my wife and daughter. Riza's a real beautiful woman. Make her happy; she deserves it. You deserve it, Roy._

He clenched his fists tightly, his hands nearly shaking.

He did have that right… he needed her, and he needed to make her happy.

Roy was staring at the floor for what seemed like ages. He had so many thoughts rushing through his mind, but he knew it was finally time to speak. "I've put her through so much... More than you know, sir... I want to make her happy. I'll do anything to give her the happiness that she deserves. It's a universal happiness that we both can share _together_." He looked at him. _It was time to move forward_. "I'll accept your offer, sir."

A wave of relief filled Grumman, a weight lifting from his shoulders. He was able to give this happiness that he had forbid from his daughter; that while she may never forgive him, she would at least be happy. He knew as he watched her leave for the last time that the child inside of her meant the world to her.

"I'm glad, general." Grumman smiled softly. "I know you'll take good care of her." He closed his eyes, nodding. "I think Emily would be happy. It eases me a little."

Roy smiled at him. Grumman had certainly given more opportunities to Roy than he ever could have imagined. And now this… He simply didn't know how to even begin expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, sir." He closed his eyes and his smile widened a bit. "I'm going to need to pay you back one of these days. You've always done so much for me. I'm not about to let it all go to costless."

Grumman smiled and held up a hand. "It's not necessary, general. Consider this my form of equivalent exchange… But if you really want to thank me, perhaps you could visit Emily's grave... Leave a flower for me." His voice softened and a distant look grew in his eyes. He had never visited her resting place.

"I think Lieutenant Hawkeye would like that... It's been a while since she went to visit her parents' graves. I won't leave just one flower, I'll leave a bouquet." He looked over at him and noticed the tired look in his eyes. "…Perhaps you could visit her resting site as well someday, sir. As Führer you'll be making many trips to the East, I presume. You could spare a day to travel to the cemetery…"

Grumman paused a moment as the thought went through his mind. He closed his eyes and laughed under his breath. "Perhaps you're right, general… I think I will…" He gaze averted from Roy and focused on the window, watching the birds nesting outside. "I'll leave a bouquet as well…"

"She would appreciate it, sir… I know it…"

Grumman offered him a small smile before returning his gaze to the birds. Roy was trying to figure out what must have been going through his mind; if he should ask if he was alright. But he decided against it, remaining silent, allowing the moment to sink in for both of them.

Finally, Grumman turned to him, a new look in his eyes, smiling. "How about we call this chess match a draw? It's getting late, and I know you're not a fan of staying in the office past hours."

Roy blinked and then chuckled, looking down and studying the board for a moment. "I don't think so, sir…" He glided his queen diagonally in front of Grumman's king. "Checkmate."

Surprised, Grumman fixed his glasses and moved in close, examining the unexpected situation, baffled. "What?"

"I'd say I'm starting a new winning streak here, sir. That's two in a row now." Roy smirked. "Perhaps you're not as sharp as you used to be. Or maybe it's what you get for being distracted by old memories," he remarked slyly, lightening the mood.

Grumman laughed and stood up straight, fixing the wrinkles in his uniform. "It must be the latter." He grinned, his eyes shining. "I'll never become less sharp."

"We'll see about that" He packed up the board, carefully putting each place where it belonged in the box; allowing the queen to stay in his hand a moment longer before returning her to the box beside her king.

"Before you head to Ishval we'll have another match," Grumman offered. "It'll be fair that time."

Roy closed his eyes, amused. "This match was completely fair, sir." _The F__ü__hrer was a sore loser, that's what it was._ "But I'll accept your offer." He grinned. "And I'll beat you then, too."

Grumman laughed and waved a hand. "We'll see when the time comes how true that is." He smiled warmly at him. A kind of smile Roy had never seen from Grumman before. "And general?"

"Yes, sir?"

The look in the Führer's eyes softened. "Thank you for listening to the old memories of an old man..."

Roy paused, taking in his words for a minute before slowly smiling. "Come now, sir." He closed his eyes, smirking. "You aren't _that_ old."

Grumman grinned, waving a hand. "You're _dismissed_, general."

Roy laughed and gave a salute. "Thank you, again, sir… For everything. It means more than you know to the Lieutenant and I." His words were firm.

Grumman closed his eyes "I've said it once and I'll say it again. There's not need to thank me." He looked at him. "Now go, general."

Roy held the salute a moment longer. "Goodbye, sir."

"Goodbye, General Mustang." Grumman said, returning the salute, even if it wasn't necessary, he found himself doing it anyways.

Roy offered a small smile, turned slowly and left, silently closing the door behind him. Warmth bubbled inside of him, feeling it spread under his skin. He looked ahead, and he couldn't seem to get rid of the smile on his face. Things were going to be different now. He was about to spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved. _With Riza_. His smile grew wider and wider. He thought he may have even looked a little silly walking down the halls of Central Command with this wide grin on his face. Heck, he even got a couple stares from some passing soldiers; but he didn't care.

Riza meant the world to him; she was his everything. He was going to make the best of this marriage. This was an opportunity given to him that he wouldn't let go to waste. Of course being married meant that they could share simple love and happiness, but they could work even harder towards their goal as well. They would be together, working together, from the office, but also from their home.

Even aside from work, she was someone he could come home to. Someone he could embrace in the morning before breakfast and who he could have long conversations with at night. She was someone who would _understand_ him; understand the suffering he's caused and been though, someone who's been right there beside him all along. She could understand him in a way nobody else could… and now, he could be with her. _Always_.

He smiled as he stepped onto the sidewalk just outside of Central Command, feeling the cool spring breeze gently hitting his face.

_They'll continue to move forward, together._

* * *

Grumman stood there for a moment, alone and quiet. He walked over to the window, staring at the bustling of the rebuilding, expressionless. A small nest rested on a branch nearby, a baby bird looking around helplessly from it before another two birds flew over. Grumman watched the family, Emily lazily drifting into his mind. He was sure that she had been happy once she had freed herself from Grumman, living with her new family; one she had formed on her own.

He let out a heavy sigh. Emily's child had meant everything to her. She would rather live on the streets than give up her daughter. He supposed that Emily would be happy with the decisions he's made in his life. What he's giving to her daughter now is a very small way of atoning for the suffering that he had caused her. But as little as it was, because of it, Grumman felt as though he was finally able to forgive himself. He closed his eyes, smiling. And he knew that Emily would forgive him too. He took one final look at the family of birds outside before closing his eyes and picturing Emily's face, smiling and happy. It eased him. He could finally let go. Now that the past was put behind him, _it was time to move forward_.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Obviously we know this could never be canon, but well, when you have a royai child, which we do, (something that could never be canon) you have to do the best you can to make it sound legit (because like we don't think Riza would leave the military, especially before Roy even becomes Fuhrer, and we couldn't have the policy rid of completely because it actually does hold other non-romantic purposes ). **


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